St. Paul daily globe., 1887-03-26
MASK ED DINNER PARTIES.
Novel Devices by which Social En-
iOYment is Accumulated.

JOY uieut H ACCeutu tuHteu.
Two club men. says the Brooklyn Eagle
coming down the carpeted, canvas screened
exit from swell ball were heard to say to
each other. With an air of infinite fatigue
and disgust, that really. don't you know.
these New York balls had but two
ingredients, awning and yawning;" and
then were driven away i'll condition
OF complete mental and physical collapse.
1t is this sort of spirit that makes
entertaining in New York such hard
work. A woman who gives luncheons and
dinners, balls and receptions, finds the
financial expense, which is heavy enough,
heaven knows, the smallest part of the drain
upon her. The bills come in after it is all
over and she has time to rejoice that it is
done and be grateful that it is no worse.
but before she liquidaIes her social debts in
champagne she must lie awake o. nights
racking her brain for something new and
fanciful, for New Workers ale Unsuitable 1t
is not enough for her to feed her dinner
creditors and all her mob of acquaintance,
but she must strike upon some device to
stimulate their jaded fancies; she must,
give them something to talk about. One of
the newest devices is late importation
from France, but presented here, like trans
lationS from Partisan literature eXpuIgated
and Softened to suit American tastes. In
Paris masked dinner parties are only at
tended by married women and even those
from the ranks of the frlSky matrOns, and
the more careful wives consider them
slightly too risQue in tone to be indulged.
But Americans are under the necessity of
itting their literature and their social re-
laXatiOnS TO the demands of 1.-THE young
person." who, when all is done and said,
is still queen regnant in our society
world. Therefore, when the eXigencies of
the demand for some new thing drive hap
less hostesses to adapt French ideas they
must so rearrange them, while preserving
their piQuancy, as to make them innocent
and reasonably proper. Still, even with all
this, very strict chaperons are disposed
to look aSkance upon masked dinners.
Several of them have been given, but the
participants have kept so quiet about them
that they have not yet made their way into
the papers. The element of fascination in
these dinners is, of course, as in all masked
entertainments, the amusing surprises
when the women unmask just as they rise
to leave the men at their wine. 1t was be-
cause one of these little enlightenments
was so unique and amusing that the dinners
got talked about, for the party could not
forbear telling it afterward. At these din
ners the guests are known only to the
hostess, at least the women are, because
the men are not in mask. No one but she
knows who is to come, either. because with
tile invitations goes plea for absolute Sc
cresy. At recent one young man, a
husband of some three years standing. came
into the drawing-room about o'clock to
find five women. all in mask and only to
be distinguished by little ivory number
hung by blue ribbon to the
ShOulder-strap of their lOw-necked
gowns. He had made some vague
excuse to his wife, who had asked him
to stay at home that evening, about having
business downtown. and had dressed at
the club. The men had numbers 10 match
those of the women to choose from at ran
dom, and to his lot fell the number four,
whose companion hung to the shoulder of
tall and splendid creature. whose arms and
shoulders were as white as the pureSt
blonde, though what could be seen of her
hair was perfectly black. Before fish was
removed he confided to his partner that
until that evening he had preferred blondes.
but from that hour his allegiance was trans
ferred to their dark haired ssters-not paus-
Ing to consider, base man! that his wifeS
eyes were blue and her hair like flax. His
companion proved to be decidedly "fiirta-
tiouS" in disposition though she apparently
had never seen him before. guessing wide of
the mark whenever he hazarded any con-
lectures as to his past, his tastes or his tenl-
perament. Such temptation was irresst-
ible. He told her several exciting anecdotes
in which he figured heroically, and poured
revelations of himself that were nearer
being what he would like to be than what
he was, into her willing and credulous ears.
His companion seemed to be disposed to
tlaunt her conquest, and-as his wife was
not there to glance at him between the can
dies he wore his fiowery chains rather os-
tentatousy.
You are sure you like brunettes best?"
she whispered tenderly, as the hostess gave
the sign to rise and unmask.
Never could bear blondes" he replied
gallantly, and then he gasped:
"Nellew and sat down suddenly and
Imply. 1t was his wife in black wig, and
there was an uncanny gleam in her eye.
1t was telling this joke that let the cat
out of the bay about these quiet little
maSkeddinners.